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Weimann brace boosts Villa

Villa Park - Aston Villa inflicted a 3-1 defeat on FA Cup finalists Hull at Villa Park on Saturday to give Paul Lambert's side a massive boost in their fight to stay in the Premier League.

After taking only one point from the last 18 available, this was a hugely welcome turn around in Villa's flagging fortunes, almost guaranteeing their topflight survival for another season.

They moved up to 38 points and can only be relegated if third from bottom Norwich win their two remaining games against Chelsea and Arsenal and produce a major swing in goal difference.

Hull are one place behind Villa on 37 points and also look safe from Norwich, but their current poor form will not inspire confidence ahead of their trip to Wembley.

Villa made two changes, with Matt Lowton and Ciaran Clark in for Leandro Bacuna and Karim El Ahmadi. For Hull, Maynor Figueroa replaced Alex Bruce.

Ashley Westwood put the hosts into a lightning 58-second lead from the edge of the box after a break down the left, only for Hull to level before the half hour when Jordan Bowery turned Liam Rosenior's cross into his own goal.

Andreas Weimann headed in from close range in the 41st minute to put Villa back in charge, and the Austrian doubled up four minutes later with a bullet header after being set up by Bowery on the left.

Weimann, who hadn't scored in 12 matches, took his tally for the season to six goals.

This was a welcome result coming after last weekend's 4-1 rout by Swansea -- it was Villa's first win since their March 15 upset of Chelsea, Lambert's men having lost five out of their last six outings.

It was all the more important for them to win this with their last two matches against Manchester City and Tottenham.

For Steve Bruce's Hull, who face Arsenal in the FA Cup final on May 17, they have now failed to beat Villa in the Premier league in the last seven attempts.

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